They lay only in the spring and early summer, and we would get an egg every day to every other day. Unlike factory birds, which require artificial insemination, heritage breeds can breed on their own. Large-scale farms concentrate on only one or two breeds. Many heritage breeds are in danger of extinction because backyard keepers aren’t raising turkeys like they were before farm factories were invented. By raising heritage breeds you are also helping to keep these breeds alive. They reproduce on their own (more about this below) and your breeding pairs will live longer lives.
Flock of turkeys full#
Heritage breeds may not grow to the huge sizes that the white factory turkeys reach, but they are full of flavor. If you’re thinking about raising turkeys, I encourage you to research heritage breeds. Breeding pairs can be fed a lower-protein feed when kept for maintenance and breeding. Turkeys also need to be fed a higher-protein feed, such as a game bird feed, to get them to table weight, which can be more expensive per pound. The more space you give them, the better they do.Īgain, larger birds equal more feed. Unlike chickens, which can easily be housed in recycled dog houses, etc., turkeys need more room a large shed or small barn work well. The run, the coop, the nesting boxes…they’re bigger birds, so they need more space. Our chicks tend to run the poults over and boss them away from feeders.Įverything concerning a turkey is bigger. Because of this, we’ve always brooded our turkey poults separately from our chicks. They’re slower-moving than chicks and have less of an instinct to run/defend themselves from danger. Turkey poults are really delicate and sensitive to slight changes including drafts, dampness, temperature changes, etc. But after raising our own, I realized that turkey can be delicious! I was blown away by the rich stock and hearty gravy they produced. Our homegrown heritage turkeys have FLAVOR! I’ve always thought turkey was a rather bland meat, especially the white meat.
Flock of turkeys free#
When you feed turkeys, their food stays where you put it, the water stays bedding free and the droppings are not scattered like they are in our chicken pens. Our chickens dig through bedding throughout their waking hours and throw soiled bedding everywhere. Our turkey pen is always cleaner than our chicken pen, and I believe this has to do with the fact that turkeys don’t have that constant instinct to scratch. Below is a list of pros, cons and helpful facts to get you started on raising turkeys. Other than that, there are a few differences between chickens and turkeys. Like chickens, they need quality feed, fresh water, a secure living space and run, clean bedding, roosting poles, and ground-level nesting boxes. If you’ve raised chickens, then you have a good basis for raising turkeys. They create tight family bonds and are fairly intelligent. They are docile, regal birds that move across the yard with a certain air of sophistication.
In my opinion, with the exception of the space that raising turkeys requires, turkeys are easier to keep than chickens. If your homesteading situation is set up to a point at which you have the ability to raise turkeys, I highly encourage you to do so! Turkeys are amazing creatures, and though we began our Black Spanish turkey flock with the intention of filling our freezer each fall, I found that turkeys have wonderful personalities and make amazing pets as well.
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